Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 82: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to an increase in the fee for photocopying birth, marriage and death certificates; and its adverse impact on people seeking to research family history; and the reason for same. [7535/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The administration of the civil registration service, including genealogical and family research is statutorily a matter for an tArd-Chláraitheoir, Registrar-General. I have made inquiries with an tArd-Chláraitheoir and the following is the position.

The Civil Registration Service has been engaged in a major modernisation programme in recent years. This provided for the computerisation of all the historical records, the development of a computerised registration system and major legislative reform. This has been a major investment designed to enhance the service available to the public and to make it more responsive to today's needs.

The primary function of the service is to facilitate the registration of vital events and to provide certified copies of entries in the registers to the public when required. These certificates may be required for a wide variety of purposes, both legal and administrative. The service does not engage in genealogical research but is, of course, aware of the importance of its records to those interested in family history and genealogy.

The increase in fees, which came into effect from 5 December 2005, is the first increase in 19 years and the average increase in respect of certificates is 44%. The increase in respect of a photocopy of an entry in the register, including the search fee, is 57.9%. The cost of living increase as per the consumer price index increased by approximately 68% during that period.